The security of wireless device transmissions (and the device itself) has become an increased concern over the recent years. Therefore, various security functions are currently implemented within wireless devices. For example, wireless devices can utilize various encryption/decryption methods to encrypt/decrypt wireless transmission and/or locally stored data. One method utilizes keys, which can comprise a password(s), a table(s), a code(s), or the like which is used by the wireless device to perform encryption/decryption of data. In many settings such as in a business, a group of wireless devices share one or more common keys.
If a secure wireless device is compromised, e.g., stolen, all traffic transmitted on any keys included within the stolen device is also compromised. For example, if a key has a long cryptographic period such as six months, voice and data transmitted for the past six months has been compromised. A user may not determine that his/her wireless device has been compromised for many hours, days, or even weeks depending on the circumstances. The secure data stored within the device and/or being received at the device and all other devices using the same key is vulnerable until the device is either deactivated or the keys are erased.
However, deactivating the device does not guarantee that secure data stored within the device will become inaccessible. Deactivating the device in most instances only prevents the device from transmitting and receiving data. Data within the device is still accessible. With current security protocol implementations erasing/changing the keys can be very time consuming. Key management systems that are available today are also problematic because long crypto periods are required in order for the management system to run efficiently. If a device that is associated with a long crypto period, e.g., 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, or the like, is compromised, data and incoming transmissions are vulnerable until the key is erased or changed.
With current systems, when a user determines that his/her wireless device has been stolen, a security administrator is notified. The security administrator inhibits the particular wireless device and re-keys all other devices in the stolen wireless device group. Depending on the size of the wireless device group, the re-keying process can take many days, leaving information on the stolen device accessible by the adverse party.
Therefore a need exists to overcome the problems with the prior art as discussed above.